Learn to Skim the Directory
by Coterminous Void
Summary: Bookstore AU. Their first impression of each other was bad. Their second impression was even worse. Going through summer without direction is tough, especially for two teenagers that don't fit into society.
1. Chapter 1

The first thing Hikigaya thought when he noticed her was that she should have been reading something more sophisticated. Seeing a girl so refined, keeping a cool look even in the blazing heat of summer, perusing a cat catalogue was the most surreal thing he had witnessed in all his time working at this bookstore.

The shop, with its variety of titles and genres, ranging from sci-fi to textbooks to trashy romance novels, was a place that attracted all sorts of characters despite its obscure location inside the mall and the store's minuscule size. In his few days of working here, Hikigaya had seen some strange people do some very strange things. He remembered watching a girl with a wide grin, a sinister chuckle, and a nosebleed scoop up a set of books when a new shipment hit the shelf. He was curious to see what she had bought, and when he later checked the stacks he found that the girl left a pool of blood on the ground in her wake. He was ordered to mop up the mess. He also recalled seeing a teenage boy with a coat and fingerless gloves buy at least half of the books from the light novel shelf. Under the combined weight of his layered clothing, the pile of books, and the blistering temperature, the poor idiot had almost past out of exhaustion. He had to be rolled out of the way so other customers could enter the store. And then of course there was the time he caught his manager, the owner of the store, reading a magazine, looking for advice on how to get married.

As Hikigaya tried to wipe that last event out of his memory, the girl finally realized that some store employee with rotten eyes was staring her. She did what she usually did in this situation, which was to look at the object of contempt with enough scorn to kill them. Unfortunately, for her that is, the cretin did not spontaneously combust, but instead only had a baffled look on his face. As Hikigaya was rooted in place, shell-shocked that someone had noticed his existence, the girl did what any respectable lady should do, which was to put the book back on the shelf, ignore the trash in front of her, and walk away without a sound. Hikigaya stood there wondering what had just happened until his manager caught him and forced him to get back to work.

* * *

Their next meeting started in the exact same way as it did the day before, only with more disbelief on Hikigaya's face and more hatred on the girl's. This time the extra dose of disdain in the girl's eyes was enough to shake Hikigaya out of his stupor. Feeling extremely uncomfortable, slightly offended, and more than a little annoyed, he decided to try to ward her off with politeness.

"Excuse me, but is there anything wrong with the merchandise?" he asked with an awkward grin as the girl returned the catalogue back onto the shelf. He immediately wondered if he should stop smiling. His sister constantly told him that he looked strange when he tried being nice.

"I know that it is your job to provide customer service, but I don't believe you would be able to help me in any way. Or anyone else for that matter," responded the girl, maintaining a cool look as she turned to face him. Hikigaya tried to not let his anger get the best of him.

"Whether or not I would be able to help you is beside the point, and did you really need to add that last part?" he said, thinking that he should just go home and cry after all this was over. Being treated like scum by someone who acted so composed hurt. "I am only talking about the book. If it warrants you returning to the store to look at it, wouldn't it just be better to buy it?"

"How did you know that I have been here before? If you are stalking me I will have you know I will not hesitate to call the authorities," she threatened. Hikigaya sighed, his unnatural smile replaced by his signature scowl. His patience had run out, not that he had very much to begin with.

"Who the hell would stalk such a cold person. I work here. No, wait, you saw me yesterday, damn it." All this being said, he was not too surprised with this girl's accusation. He had plenty of experience of being treated as a suspicious person.

"Oh, well in that case, of course. I fully intended to buy this yesterday, but I felt as if someone were invading my privacy, so I decided to find safety immediately. I suspect that was you then? I recall the person from yesterday having a similar dead gaze." She tilted her head and put her hand to her chin as if trying to recall the details from yesterday.

"Yeah, yeah, I have heard all sorts of comments about my eyes. Look, can I just ring you up so we can be done with all this? I don't want to talk to you for longer than I need to. You've already been abrasive enough," Hikigaya grumbled. The girl weighed her options before nodding with a conflicted look on her face. She grabbed the catalogue from off the shelf for the third time this week and they began walking to the front counter.

"Well, aren't you rude? I could call up your manager and have you fired for talking back to a customer, staring at a customer, and breathing in the general vicinity of a customer," the girl huffed as they walked.

"Hey, once again that last bit was completely unnecessary. I know that we workers hold less rights than everybody else, but we need to be in the store in order to do our job properly," he argued. They arrived at the register. Hikigaya started scanning the barcode and read off the total price.

"I wasn't just referring to the store, you should probably leave the mall. You could just leave the city for good measure. Also, basing off of what I can tell from your attitude, you have never done a proper job in your whole life," assumed the girl while fishing out money from her purse. "I saw that you were reading when I first entered the store. Pay attention and at least try to act like your job is important."

"At least give me some credit, I'm trying to help you here. And you're one to talk about being distracted by books. The reason I got out of my chair was because a certain somebody was flipping through this for at least a half hour," Hikigaya said while gesturing to the catalogue.

Despite his accusation, the girl remained unabashed and handed him the money. "It was never about being invested in a book. I am quite serious. If you shirk your responsibilities you'll never be integrated properly into any workforce."

"Ha, I refuse to lose my individuality in order to become a part of society. Society rejected me first, after all. As for this job, I'll do the bare minimum until I can get out of it. My manager already knows how much of a pain I can be and she still keeps me around, so I doubt your input will be the what gets me out of this forced labor," he said, while recalling that his employer scolded him earlier this morning for slacking off. Dealing with these two women two days in a row was bad for his health.

"So you already know that you're a blemish to society," she sighed.

"I'm not some sort of parasite. It is not like anyone has noticed me enough to care about what I do," he muttered while putting the catalogue in a plastic bag.

"Well, your manager has noticed how awful you are and still keeps you around. Look at how you are repaying her kindness." The girl's look changed into something far more stern then before. Hikigaya quickly averted his eyes.

"I'm not going to change for that woman. Anyway, what do you know about her? Wait, you know what, forget it. Here's your change. Goodbye," he gestured to the door.

The girl snatched up the receipt and change, and made her way towards the door. After a few steps she turned around. "You're supposed to say 'have a nice day.' You can at least do that much." Her face was solemn, her eyes fierce, and Hikigaya knew she would not back down until he submitted to her command. He remained silent as she stared him down.

After what felt to be hours, she finally turned and walked away. It was only until he watched her leave the store that Hikigaya breathed. Who allowed such a strange person to exits? It felt like all that time speaking to her was something out of the ordinary, as if the clock had stopped on his normal day, leaving only some semblance of reality. He had never held a conversation with a stranger for that long and it had left him drained. He leaned back onto the counter and groaned, praying he would never see her again.

* * *

Unfortunately, she returned almost every other morning for the rest of the week. Hikigaya would always glance at the entrance to the shop to see if she would come that day. The girl seemed omnipresent even on the days when she did not appear. She had perfectly gotten under his skin. If there was one thing he hated more than those that pretended they were perfect, then it was those who were actually perfect. If he was to deal with her, he would at least attempt to mentally prepare himself for her sharp gaze, cutting words, and holier-than-thou attitude. He felt a little paranoid, but at least she never went out of her way to criticize him. When he rung her up, he would only need to state how much her purchase was and she would only glare at him after the transaction. He suspected this was because she still wanted him to say the standard farewell.

Hikigaya couldn't believe that there was someone as stubborn as he was. Normally people wouldn't spare him a second glance, yet here he was, holding a grudge against some girl he didn't even know that name of. Even worse, he was unsure how he could possibly win against her ego. The girl's pride shined through every action she took. She was never embarrassed with all the strange cat paraphernalia she purchased, even when she bought them along with some of the greatest literary works known to mankind. He swore he once scanned some children's book with a picture of a panda on it. She also ignored the fundamental laws of summer. When everyone should be overheated and dying, even in an air-conditioned mall, she radiated serenity and beauty. It was unnatural. Lastly, she always came to the mall alone.

Well, that last part Hikigaya appreciated. He felt that going to the mall alone was the most efficient way to go, but he understood that society dictated all humans should move in packs. Anyone disobeying that rule could be humiliated, or worse, pitied. He was glad that the person he was facing off against was a fellow loner. Knowing that someone like her had no friends proved that youth and friendship were obsolete and that those who are alone have everything that they need. In this battle, there would be no spectators, no referees, no teams, and no interruptions.

A week after their first quarrel, Hikigaya finally got used to seeing the girl around the store. He assumed he knew how to interact with her without offending her, but it was more like she realized how good for nothing he really was. They got better at pretending the other did not exist, although they would still scowl at each other at the end of any transaction.

As long as the girl had left for the day, Hikigaya could enjoy his job. It was not as if he had fun scanning barcodes or helping customers whenever they need to find a certain book, but as long as business was slow, he could indulge himself with reading at the front counter. A shelf holding miscellaneous items sat in front of the counter, so customers would need to walk around a wall of stationary and calendars in order to see him. He kept a count of how many shoppers entered the store and glanced occasionally to the shelves to see when they were ready to make a purchase or if they needed any help. Hikigaya prided himself for being able to read quickly, so even three minutes alone allowed him to make good progress into a chapter of a book. Sure, occasionally he engrossed himself completely and would forget to look up, but it never bothered any customers. If they came to the desk, he would put the book away, check them out as efficiently and quickly as possible, and go back to reading as soon he handed back the receipt. It was as he said before, no one noticed him enough to care about his work ethic.

* * *

As Hikigaya flipped through his novel with a weird smile on his face, he sensed a shadow fall over him. His skin prickled with goose bumps and he shuddered, breathing in cold air tinged with the smell of smoke. He turned his eyes upward and gazed upon a hand rising up like an executioner's axe. It fell, parting the air and crushing the top of his head, it's momentum crashing down. He felt fingers latch onto his temple, and with a sudden jerk the front of his face slammed into the wooden counter top. Before he could cry out in pain, the hand pulled on his hair forcing him to look into the eyes of his manager.

"Hikigaya, how many times have I told you not to read at the front desk?" his manager asked with intense bloodlust. He immediately averted his eyes and began sweating buckets.

"My sincerest apologizes, Hiratsuka-san. I won't do it again. I promise. Never again. So would you please stop trying to tear out my scalp?" he spoke in a high pitch voice as he writhed in pain. A large welt was growing on his forehead. The raw bump contrasted with his pale, clammy skin.

Hiratsuka sighed before dropping him down onto his chair. Hikigaya curled up in his seat, placing his hands above his head, and peeked underneath his arm to look at his manager. It seemed like she was satisfied with his reaction. She sat down on the counter. "I know that you are at applying the bare minimum to this job, which I appreciate since this is you we are talking about, but couldn't you show some initiative? Yes, I know business is extra slow in the morning, but I won't pay you if you just sit around and do nothing."

Hikigaya slowly uncurled himself and tried to look innocent while speaking, "I like to think that I contribute a lot to this place by having a book at the front desk. If a customer sees a employee reading, they should assume that we are all very knowledgeable about literature and serious about promoting liberal arts. It also lets them know that they should be quite in the store. I am the perfect model of how people should act." By the end of his tangent he looked proud of himself, nodding as if his words were irrefutable.

"I don't think anyone would want to be like you. Human beings enjoy having aspirations for one. Secondly, they want to be happy with their life. Lastly, you look pretty nasty when you're reading. Your simile is enough to ward off customers. It's bad for business." Hiratsuka felt the need to berate him, so she flicked his forehead. He yelped in pain and slumped into his seat.

"Hey, I'm perfectly happy with the way I am, it's everything else that I dislike," he said while rubbing his bruise. He scowled, "And if people aspire to be something that only means they are discontent with the way they are right now. I'm enjoying life much more than them, so you really should stop interrupting me and let me read in peace."

"Oh, I do want you to enjoy this job, but in order to do that, you need to apply yourself. You see, when I said that people want to be happy with their lives, I meant that people want to be happy with the way they act, not with where they are." Hiratsuka smiled down at him. "As for you, I wouldn't even call you alive. You look like a carcass half the time and definitely act like one."

Hikigaya didn't have a response for that, mostly because he believed that it was true. Still, he thought, if she was looking out for him she ought to have a bit more compassion. Her words and actions didn't match up."Shouldn't you be in the back counting money or getting through your daily pack of cigarettes? Just leave me be," he said, trying to ward her off.

"I just want to see how you are doing. This is only your second week after all."

"Yeah, I'm alright. I mean, I rather be doing a thousand other things, but nothing about the job is confusing."

"It's good that you understand how everything works, but stop whining. Customers will know if you don't want to be here."

Hikigaya scoffed, "Me, being noticed? Yeah right." He added with confidence, "And even if they did get offended they won't remember me in the long run." Hiratsuka looked at him with disbelief, but he remained convinced. After all, he always was treated like a criminal by service representatives. He hated their guts and on several occasions he had tried to file complaints, but he could never recall their names or faces.

Hiratsuka sighed, "In any case, I can at least give you something to do right now. How about I handle the register while you organize the magazine section. After that you can restock the shelves with some tour guides we have out back." She knew that he hated standing near the magazine stands since he was in plain sight of anyone who entered the store. Hikigaya didn't complain this time though. He had already gotten hit once today and he would rather not experience another concussion.

* * *

After grabbing the boxes containing the new shipment of magazines for that week, Hikigaya returned to the front of the store and got to work, sorting through the subscriptions and placing them in their regular place. Hiratsuka watched him from the front desk while resisting the temptation to lighting a cigarette. She vowed when she first opened the place to never to smoke inside the main section of the store. She decided to distract herself from her urge through small talk. "So, Hikigaya, how is your summer going so far?"

"It's not going bad. I spend most of my time at home. Well, my sister occasionally forces me outside of the house. My parents are busy as ever," he replied while opening several boxes. "What about you? Any big plans? Have you found a date yet?"

Hiratsuka scowled, "I've actually met someone new and will start clearing out my schedule soon. Don't worry I'll make sure that you have plenty of shifts when I am gone. Make sure to take good care of the store for me."

Now it was Hikigaya's turn to scowl, "You're bluffing. You never have time off, much less get asked out on dates."

"I know you high school students always fall in love during the spring and all that, but summer romances exist too," she teased.

"Oh, so infatuation is like seasonal depression then? Well, I keep myself healthy so I don't catch it. Everyone else at school is sick though."

"I am pretty sure you're the one whose sick."

"No, I have a strong immune system after all. I'm not proud to admit it, but I did have that illness once. At least now I can never catch it again."

At that moment, the doors to the store opened.

Hikigaya stared at the raven-haired girl who glided into the room. Hiratsuka was surprised by his reaction. His eyebrows were scrunched up, his eyes wide, and Hiratsuka noticed the utter confusion and awe on his face. The girl, on the other hand, completely ignored him, passing him by to reach the front desk. "Good morning, Hiratsuka-san," she greeted, "I have not seen you in the store for quite some time."

Hiratsuka leaned back in her chair and grinned, "Well, I do have more to handle than just running the store. I'm getting ready for a vacation. How have you been doing with yours?" Hikigaya saw the girl smile back at his manager.

"I have been keeping myself busy with a few personal projects. I also have a substantial amount of free time, so I do visit the store often to buy new books... I have less obligations this year. My sister is handling most of the summer events." Hikigaya noticed she lowered her head and her voice when she spoke that last part. He thought she looked strange without the pride she usually carried. He also realized he really shouldn't be eavesdropping. Or staring. He returned to sorting magazines in an attempt to distract himself, but it was difficult to ignore noise in a near silent room. The girl also took in the quiet. "I am surprised at how empty this place is," she whispered.

"We only just opened. And this lack of customers is the reason I can afford to take a vacation," Hiratsuka chuckled. She pointed at Hikigaya, "I am having this guy take care of the store in my stead, while I am out. I assume you two have met."

"What the hell, you never told me I was going to work here alone," Hikigaya interjected.

"I just told you earlier that I was clearing my schedule."

"You were serious about that?"

"I'm always serious," Hiratsuka said while beaming. "Anyway, make sure to get along when I am gone."

Hikigaya was about to try to convince Hiratsuka that he couldn't work all those extra hours, but as he began talking the girl cut in, "Pardon me, Hiratsuka-san, but I don't even know this person's name."

"Oi, I was about to say something. It's me you should be apologizing to," spat Hikigaya.

"Hold your tongue, can't you see we are having a conversation right now," replied the girl.

"You're talking about me. I have the right to speak."

Hiratsuka sighed, "Well it seems you are already getting along nicely. I think some introductions are in order." She gestured toward Hikigaya. "This is Hikigaya Hachiman. I just recently employed him. He's a rotten, lazy individual, so I was hoping that giving him some responsibility could change his perspective on life."

"Shouldn't I be the one to introduce myself," Hikigaya muttered. Hiratsuka ignored him and turned her hand towards the girl.

"Hikigaya, meet Yukinoshita Yukino. In the two years that she has been a regular at this store she has surpassed you as our most profitable customer."

Hikigaya was surprised to hear that. He recognized that name, Yukinoshita Yukino. He knew that she was the idol of his high school, daughter of a politician, and member of the elite Class 2-J, but he had never seen her in school. He was also stunned that she bought even more books from this store than him. How did they keep missing each other if they frequented the same store? It seemed odd that with all the things they had in common they had never met before. Then again, he assumed they had more differences that similarities. She came from some rich family, while his parents were nameless workers. He assumed she was a morning person and came to the store early, while he always came in near closing time. Everyone at school knew her name, nobody knew he even existed.

"Like hell I'm going to get along with her," Hikigaya protested, "She's been demanding far too much from our establishment. I say we use our right to refuse service."

"Hiratsuka-san, While I do think you trying to save this idiot from himself is admirable, I don't think you should give him anything remotely close to responsibility. This establishment will go bankrupt if you leave him to do as he pleases," said Yukinoshita, ignoring Hikigaya's comment.

"Don't worry. Hikigaya knows that if he causes me a loss of any finances he will pay the price. I trust his innate sense for self-preservation. He will undoubtedly do the bare minimum," Hiratsuka explained. "As for improving his behavior, I have something special in mind." Hiratsuka chuckled, putting on a radiant smile. Hikigaya did not enjoy the look on her face. He knew firsthand the consequences of her grand ideas. It was a moment like this when she forced him into this job. Even Yukinoshita, who had never seen Hiratsuka make such an expression before, found her enthusiasm alarming.

"Ignoring this sub-human for the moment, the point still stands. A lot goes into running a store. I find it incredible that you have kept this place afloat almost entirely by yourself for so long. Very few people could manage that feat. It would be better to just close it for the weeks you are gone," Yukinoshita advised.

"Jeez, we still need to create revenue. I am going to be closing the store in a few months so I can help sponsor and volunteer at your cultural festival," she replied as if stating the obvious to a young child.

"In that case, just don't go on vacation," blurted out the two high school students.

"Too bad, I already have a trip scheduled. I haven't gone mountain biking in ages you guys. Anyway, you're both smart kids, you can survive the summer without me," she patronized. Both Hikigaya and Yukinoshita were fed up with her attitude. They knew that she wouldn't budge on this matter, but the two were petty and vindictive. They refused to let her talk down to them. She didn't stand a chance.

"That is true. We do not need your experience at all," Yukinoshita agreed. "It is time for a new generation to rise. All outdated ways and wisdom will be swept aside. Enjoy your vacation."

Before Hiratsuka could interject, Hikigaya went on the offensive. "Yeah, you're going to need it. Going to the mountains will help you relax before your big date. It's been ages since you last went on one, I imagine you're quite nervous. And when it goes badly, you can just return to the mountains. That sounds like a lovely summer break," he snickered.

By this point, Hiratsuka was curled up in her seat, looking ashamed. Yukinoshita took advantage of her embarrassment. "Oh, you finally found yourself a date. Please don't let your hopes get up too high, Hiratsuka-san. If you look too desperate, I am sure your chances of getting a second date will become even lower than it already is."

Hikigaya delivered the final blow. "Now that I see how important this vacation is too you, I guess I have no choice. Just don't retire yet. I know you're old enough to, but I don't want to be left here to work forever. Anyway, have a great trip!"

Hiratsuka slouched into her chair, trying her best not to cry. "Ok. I get it. I get it," she sobbed. "I take it back, you two should never get along ever again." They frowned at that, but they couldn't argue her point. They waited in silence for Hiratsuka to compose herself.

"Ugh, you're both awful. Hikigaya just go back to work," Hiratsuka sighed. She sat back up and began reaching for her pack of cigarettes but stopped herself. "I'm going to go outside. Be sure to get the rest of the stacks set up before more customers come in. As for you, Yukinoshita, can you meet me in my office later? I want to talk to you about summer plans." They two teens felt somewhat sorry for her, so they agreed with her requests.

"Yeah, alright. I'll get it done before you know it," Hikigaya said, while quickly putting the rest of the magazines back on the shelf. "You should really stop using me for such menial tasks though. I think I deserve to read at the desk if this is what I am going to be doing all summer." He got up in order to find the tour guides from the storage room, leaving the two woman at the front desk.

As he began walking, he heard a small voice behind him.

"Hikigaya-kun, you should probably put some ice on your forehead. That bump looks rough. We don't want your ego to inflate. It is already big enough as it is."

Yeah, Hikigaya thought as he left the room, this girl really was the worst.

* * *

...

* * *

 **Hi y'all. Coterminous Void here. I have had quite a few ideas about making several Oregairu fics, but never had the energy or confidence to write anything. This summer was a perfect time for me to get my ideas on paper, especially because I am really bored. Honestly, my summer job is the most exciting thing I have going on with my life right now, so I guess you can see where my inspiration comes from.**

 **As a whole, writing this single chapter was an incredible experience, mostly because I realized that writing a couple thousand words takes a long ass time. My appreciation for all writers has increased tenfold.**

 **Anyway, since this is my first story and all, please leave me a review if you have the chance. Thanks and I'll try to get the next chapter in within a month. Deuces.**


	2. Chapter 2

Yukinoshita planned for the days ahead. If Hiratsuka was not going to be around, then as long as she enough books to last her to the rest of the summer, she would have no need to visit the store. She began pulling all sorts of interesting novels from off the shelves, stacking them up until they loomed over her. She was an abnormally fast reader, so she worried that she would not be able to carry all the books that she wanted. Perhaps she was being a bit unreasonable, she thought as she gazed upon the stack. She just didn't quite care to interact with the new hire.

She wouldn't be unfair; she admitted that he could at least go through the motions when working, so the store should be the same as always. When she first saw him, she thought he had been infatuated with her. It wasn't the first time someone had stared at her in public, and she doubted it would be the last. Then she found out he was just curious, which was fine normally, but he seemed too idiosyncratic and removed. He was observant, but acted as if he couldn't do anything when something came up. It felt like he knew some secret everyone else didn't, but he thought that the information he held was unimportant. He did what was instructed, but couldn't find any motivation outside of necessity. She dealt with delusional Romantics on a regular basis, those who saw the whole world as a product of their actions, but she could not handle someone who thought they held no influence on reality. It was frustrating to see someone so passive and idle take up a job his predecessor was perfect in.

The pile of books beside Yukinoshita lurched, interrupting her train of thought. She quickly moved to catch the toppling tower, using her the length of her body to set it back into an upright position. She hesitantly stepped away from the books, careful to pick up any shift in movement, poised to catch the tower at any time.

"You alright back there?" asked a concerned Hiratsuka from the front desk, startling Yukinoshita. The older woman had returned from smoking outside.

"Of course. There is no need for alarm," Yukinoshita called back shakily while adjusting the structural integrity of the stack. Hiratsuka went to check on her anyway.

"You should probably put some of those away," Hiratsuka said as she stepped into the isle, seeing an absurd number of pages loaded on top of each other.

"I know. I was just weighing my options," Yukinoshita muttered. She began setting the novels on the top of the stack back onto the shelves. Hiratsuka helped her with the task. They remained silent as they put away the assortment of books.

"You weren't kidding when you said you had a lot of free time if you were planning to read all of those, huh. That's perfect," Hiratsuka hummed after the pile had been reduced to a manageable size. She picked them up and walked over to the small reading area at the back corner over the store. Yukinoshita followed. "You mind if we head to my office now? I don't want to talk with customers around," Hiratsuka asked.

Yukinoshita did mind, she was a customer herself after all. She just wanted to buy something to keep herself busy and head back to her apartment. Still, she had never been one to reject a request, so she begrudgingly remained silent. Besides, Hiratsuka was right. She had far too much time on her hands. Hiratsuka put the books on a small table and they started making their way to the front of the store where her office was.

As they passed through the shop, Yukinoshita noticed Hikigaya scan some items for a boy who was wearing a heavy coat and glasses. Hikigaya made some comment under his breath, which caused the other teen to belt out a terribly obnoxious laugh. Hikigaya looked exasperated, but Yukinoshita noticed a faint smile appear on his face. That made her feel much more confident in the stores survivability. Knowing that someone like him could get along a strange customer proved that anyone could fit into a group. Even Hikigaya, with his awkward smile, lack of motivation, and constant litany of complaints could find someone in the world that would accept him.

* * *

Hiratsuka followed the same routine every time she went into her office; she would open the window that looked down over a back alley, sit at her desk, and light up a cigarette. Yukinoshita sat across from her, looking at the robot figurines next to the laptop on her desk that served as paperweights for a stack of order forms. The whole room was covered with merchandise from old TV and manga series. Everything looked pristine, but the toys, books, electronics, paper work, and furniture cluttered the space. Yukinoshita didn't know what to think, or even what to look at, so she opted into staring at the manager instead. Hiratsuka turned her chair towards the window so not to blow smoke into room. After a long exhale, she spoke. "So, I would like for you to act as Hikigaya's supervisor."

"I expected you would ask something like that," responded Yukinoshita almost immediately. She put her hand to her temple and sat back into her chair. "And what makes you think I would accept this task?"

"You've never been one to deny someone a helping hand," Hiratsuka responded in surprise as she placed an ashtray on the windowsill.

"You're not asking this for the stores behalf. You already expressed confidence in Hikigaya-kun's ability to do the bare minimum. No, you're asking because you want me to improve his work ethic," Yukinoshita deduced. "I wouldn't say no if he desired to improve, but I must decline if you are asking."

Hiratsuka sighed, smoke expelling from her mouth. It was a good thing she had prepared for this moment. "Let's put it this way. This will serve as an opportunity. If you really hope to become a politician you need to learn how to motivate and influence others."

"There are far better ways for me to learn. I could become the chairman of the cultural festival or run for president of the student council. I have more important things I could be handling this summer," Yukinoshita retorted curtly as she crossed her arms.

Hiratsuka looked at her incredulously as she tapped her cigarette. "You know as well as I do that you're not going to become the cultural festival chairman. As for becoming the student council president, you could accomplish that without lifting a finger."

Yukinoshita scowled. "When I do become student council president, all my efforts are going to go into organizing events. My actions _will_ matter, and they _will_ shape the student bodies' opinions and values. I am already planning several potential events for the school. Until then, I won't just sit around watching someone cut corners while working."

"You can do other things while in the store. I saw how many books you were thinking of purchasing. I doubt you would have much time to plan activities if you were going to read all of that…. How about we make a deal. I'll allow you to use this place as a library until the end of summer. And I'll pay you of course. All you need to do is help Hikigaya out when he needs it," Hiratsuka pleaded.

Yukinoshita mulled over this for some time. It appeared as if she were unconvinced, so Hiratsuka spoke up once more, turning to look the girl in the eye, trying her best to expresses her intentions. "I'll be honest. I haven't really planned this out. It was a spur of the moment decision. I just know that Hikigaya needs someone to keep him in line and that you need something to do over the summer."

Hiratsuka's earnest words convinced Yukinoshita. She smiled wryly, glancing down at her lap. After all, she thought, it was unlike her to refuse something so vehemently. In the end, no matter what she did, her sense of duty and obligation would stir her into action. She lifted her head. "Fine, but I'll only step in when he causes problems or if he exhausts himself. Also, I refuse to just use books and put them back on the shelf when I am done. I'll pay for them like any other customer."

Hiratsuka smiled warmly. "Thank you. I'll be sure to find some way to repay you for your efforts."

"There is no need. If I am to do something, then I'll do it out of my own volition," said Yukinoshita with pride. She shifted into a more business-like posture, sitting straight, arms on her lap. "Just give me some specifics: when do you leave, what am I responsible for, and what are the store's daily order of operations?"

Hiratsuka remained lax as she answered her questions, puffing out another cloud of smoke out the window. "I'll be leaving at the end of the week. I won't make you clock in or anything like. Just come to the store like you always do. The store will be closed on weekends. The only customer service you'll need to do is during his lunch breaks. There is a check list of daily tasks at the front desk. Use that as reference and make sure Hikigaya doesn't skip any of them. He has a habit of only sweeping the front of the store, so make sure he does everything properly. Other than that, just shut him up if he starts getting fussy and make sure he doesn't have a book at the front desk. Oh, and confiscate his phone too."

Yukinoshita nodded, mentally filing away Hiratsuka's instructions. "Sounds simple enough."

Hiratsuka chuckled darkly. "You say that now. Once Hikigaya's workload doubles, I'm sure he will become twice as insufferable. More than anything I need you to keep him from wallowing in self-pity. Studies have shown that complaining rewires your brain for negativity."

"Noted." Yukinoshita paused to think before continuing. "I imagine Hikigaya-kun doesn't know about this set up."

"Not yet. I'll tell him after I get some work done in here." Hiratsuka said as booted up her computer.

"If you are busy I can just tell him myself," Yukinoshita responded.

"How about you grab some books and wait until I am done with this. It will be easier to make him comply and it will set you into a position of power if we are both there."

"That's reasonable." Yukinoshita got up from her seat. "By the way, you really are going to kill yourself with how much you smoke."

"Yeah, yeah," Hiratsuka said, waving her off. She put out her cigarette as she watched Yukinoshita leave, just to make her satisfied. Hiratsuka was happy that she could give those two something to do. In all their conversations she noticed how tense they always were. They looked over their shoulders, picking their words carefully, alert and hyper sensitive to the comments thrown at them. She imagined they were high strung during the start of summer, with only their thoughts as company and books as distractions. Now that they had a proper outlet to for their busy minds she could enjoy her summer vacation without worrying.

* * *

Now that it was about morning, more and more customers began showing up at the bookstore. There was a small line of three waiting to purchase, and a few more customers leafing through magazines and novels. It was only a decibel louder than before, but in the quiet Yukinoshita felt a vibrant joy and energy. As she passed through the main stacks, she saw an older woman looking at a book on gardening, a man in a suit pick up a book on music, and a young girl asking her mother to buy her a pack of stationery with pleading eyes. She also saw an employee looking far too busy to put any time into complaining.

After picking up a book she had been looking through earlier, she sat down in on one of the small couches in the back, a window behind her. She took her time with the first chapter of the book, thumbing over every word, scrutinizing the composition of each sentence, formulating an opinion of the author and the world they created. She looked for order and a cause for conflict, a glint of hope and adventure, and a sign of struggle and growth. Her thirst for truth and beauty was satiated by the gorgeous prose and the compelling conflict of the unnamed protagonist, a young boy reluctantly exploring a meteor crash site with his friends. The first two chapters, each representing a day, laid an incredibly ominous tone even as the narration stayed entirely emotionless. Or perhaps the foreboding feeling was brought by that lack of emotion? Yukinoshita decided she would purchase it after Hiratsuka and herself spoke to Hikigaya. She put down the novel to check if the manager was done with her work but did not see her at the counter. Resigning to a long wait, Yukinoshita opened the book again and quickly became entranced with the story. The next time she looked up, she noticed that the sun was already setting. She had finished the book.

* * *

Yukinoshita put the novel in her purse and stood up. The store was emptier than before, although a few stragglers were still scrying the shelves. The fading sun light covered the room in orange, flooding the books under a warm glow. Yukinoshita began making her way towards the front counter, but thought to wait a bit longer before checking items out. She turned into the row with animal books at the last second.

She didn't want to buy the book she finished and then wait for Hiratsuka; Hikigaya would probably become suspicious and question her, and then she would need to explain her new job to him by herself. Plus, he would need to ring up the remaining few customers in the shop so there was no threat of him leaving early. Besides, the cat pictures called to her. She always wanted a one, but her apartment didn't allow for pets and her mother never approved of her owning one as a child. She was very selective about Yukinoshita's company, even when it came to animals. Still, Yukinoshita thought, one day, when she gained proper control over her own living arrangements, she would instantly adopt a cat.

After flipping through a few books, and long after all the customers were gone, Yukinoshita felt a grimy gaze on her. Turning her gaze upward, she locked eyes with Hikigaya, who was still seated at the front desk. His stare was inquisitive. No, inquisitive would be an understatement, thought Yukinoshita. She could feel his pondering, he was questioning more than just her reason for remaining at the store. He was appraising her entire existence, trying to understand what made her tick, attempting to read her like a book. It was a familiar, unpleasant feeling. The only reason she could maintain her composure was because his gaze held no hostility, unlike all those other times when... no best not to dwell on it. There was no motive or reason for his questioning, this was all done subconsciously. Still, that in didn't make staring at another person alright, so Yukinoshita shot back a glare of her own. He quickly looked away. She went back to reading.

Some time passed, but there was still no sign of Hiratsuka. Yukinoshita stomach growled. She thought about checking up on the manager, if only so she could see if she could grab a quick bite to eat. She put the book down, only to turn and face Hikigaya again. His face had a pained look to it. "We're closing in a few minutes. I would ask you to leave, but I expect you are waiting for Hiratsuka," he called out candidly from the front counter. "Can I just check out your books? You can just talk to her tomorrow. I need to get closing tasks done."

Yukinoshita was surprised by his sudden change in mood. Just a few minutes ago he was curious and apathetic, and now he was annoyed by her presence just because he wants to get home? How petty. She finally realized just why she was needed over the next few weeks to keep him in check. "Here we go again with your complete lack of manners. You must be taxing on your family. They must be relieved to have you out of the house for the summer."

"Hey, my dad's might be having the time of his life without me, but my sister probably misses me, and that's all I need. And you're one to talk, you spent your whole day in a bookstore. I don't imagine anyone is out looking for you."

"My family matters are none of your concern," Yukinoshita spat, rubbing her forehead. "I'm just going to read and pretend you don't exist. I've been doing that all day without even trying, so as long as you do a proper job, I won't bother you while your cleaning."

"Hey, you can't just stay here."

"Why not? Hiratsuka-san won't mind; she told me to wait until she was done working." With that she turned back to her book.

"Hey," He called out. Yukinoshita made no movement to suggest she heard him. "Oi, Yukinoshita," he shouted, but to no avail. He sighed, picked up a cleaning solution from under the desk, and began to clean the shelves nearest to him. Yukinoshita smiled smugly. It was only the first day and she knew how to deal with him. It looks like this will be easier than expected.

* * *

Yukinoshita soon realized how wrong she was. Over the course of the next fifteen minutes, she had to stop Hikigaya from leaving without tidying up the shelves throughout the store, forced him to sweep, and had to make sure he wouldn't overlook any aisle while cleaning. He was dusting off the front windowsills when Hiratuska finally stepped out of her office. She slumped towards them while stretching her strained arms. Her yawn rang out overtones in the empty shop.

Yukinoshita responded with a sigh of her own. "Hiratsuka-san, I was under the impression that you would be finished with your work shorty. Next time inform me, so I can plan my time accordingly. How do you even do your job properly when you can't even keep track of the time?"

"Hey, I completed my to-do-list, I just dozed off along the way," Hiratsuka retorted. Yukinoshita's sharp gaze had little effect on her. Hiratsuka had plenty of experience of dealing with self-entitled shoppers, so Yukinoshita's glare wasn't much in comparison.

Hikigaya quietly put down the duster he was holding as the women stared at each other. "Well, I finished all my work, so I think I deserve a nap too. Don't forget to lock the door and turn off the lights." He picked up his bag and began to make his way towards the exit.

"Oh no you don't." Hiratsuka grabbed the back of his shirt collar and tug him towards her. Hikigaya yelped in surprise, losing his balance. Hiratsuka picked him up right before he hit the floor and put him in a headlock. Yukinoshita chuckled at his dazed expression. Hiratsuka cackled. "Careful there, don't trip on your way out."

Hikigaya's shocked face quickly turned to one of irritation. "The hell was that for," he fumed.

"My apologizes," Hiratsuka spoke remorsefully. "I acted on instinct."

"How does grappling someone become an instinct?" Hikigaya pried himself out of Hiratsuka's hold.

"Ah, well... you see stuff happens" Hiratsuka spoke hesitantly. Hikigaya looked up at her sternly. She turned her face away, only to see Yukinoshita look at her in curiosity and a hint of apprehension. "Uh, I may have gone on a blind date where my partner tried to leave me alone with the bill."

Yukinoshita shook her head, her hand on her temple. Hikigaya snickered. Hiratsuka crossed her arms. "What, I didn't do anything to warrant him leaving. I just got paired with an asshole." That made Hikigaya laugh even more. "I said I'm sorry what else do you want?"

Hikigaya composed himself, but he still had a slight grin on his face. "Only you would run into that situation. You have the worst luck."

"Yeah, I met you, doesn't get much worse than that," Hiratsuka responded.

Yukinoshita interrupted their banter. "Pardon. I don't want to interrupt your fun, but Hikigaya-kun isn't the only one who wants to head home."

Hikigaya's smile faded as he put two and two together. "Right," spoke Hiratsuka, "Hikigaya, Yukinoshita will be working here as your supervisor until I get back from vacation."

"Oh course," sighed Hikigaya. "Anything else I need to know?"

Yukinoshita cut in before Hiratsuka got a chance to speak. The whole reason for her staying her was to establish her authority early. "Consider the past hour as a preview of the rest of your summer. My standards are high, and you'll accomplish tasks in the way I expect them to. If you do your job right, then it will be like I am never here. Try to make this as painless for the both of us and I'm sure we will have a peaceful summer."

"What she said," Hiratsuka corroborated with a grin. Hikigaya stared at them with a blank face. Yukinoshita hoped that she intimidated him enough. Hiratsuka did a poor job of setting consequences for any misdemeanors. In the past, when she was still in junior high school, she had worked as a librarian assistant. She had trouble making students compliant to library regulations. No matter what she did, her schoolmates would always slip back into old patterns whenever they were out of sight. Some were even brazen enough to break rules when she was around, in an attempt to rile her up. She asked the librarian for advice to quell their rebellious nature. He recommended positive reinforcement, but that only lead to them badmouthing her directly. After a particularly brutal incident where a group of girls thought it would be funny to "accidentally" spill a cup of hot coffee on her when she went to remind them drinks were not allowed in the library, the librarian decided it best if she helped with refining the catalog system for the rest of the year.

"You know what?" Hikigaya stated suddenly, breaking Yukinoshita out of her reverie, "I don't have enough energy to complain right now. I'll come up with a list of reasons why this is unfair tomorrow."

"Fine by me", responded Hiratsuka, "I'm pretty beat myself." She began walking towards the front door. "I've already called hold order confirmations, so just print out the compiled sales list before leaving."

"Hey," cried Hikigaya, but Hiratsuka just waved her hand lazily in goodbye and stepped out the store. The doors shut loudly behind her. Yukinoshita looked around the empty store. She had never been in the shop so late. The silence was deafening. It reminded her of someplace, but she couldn't recall where.

"Hello, do you need something?" Yukinoshita jumped up in surprise. She had completely forgotten Hikigaya was there. She turned towards him slowly, embarrassed she had been caught off guard. She was relieved to see that he was busy locking a cash box. He had to bend down to fiddle with the lock, so he was unaware of her startled reaction. Yukinoshita grabbed the few books she wanted to purchase out of her purse and dropped them on the counter. Hikigaya turned towards the source of the noise and grunted as he stood up. They stayed silent as he booted up the computer monitor and began scanning the few cat related books. He stopped when he scanned the book she had finished reading earlier.

"Oh, I was wondering if I should pick up this book or not. I thought the premise seemed a little cliché." Hikigaya opened it and skimmed the inside cover before scanning it.

"It is a little", Yukinoshita replied, "but it does comment on that fact. I haven't decided if that makes it better or worse, but it was still an interesting read. The pace of the prose kept the narrative engaging."

Hikigaya read off the total price of the purchase before continuing the conversation, "I guess I'll pick it up next time then. Also, if you already finished the book, why buy it? Are you obligated to help the establishment, or do you just like throwing your money around?"

"It kept me engaged for the whole day; it warrants the purchase." Yukinoshita answered as she pulled out her wallet. Hikigaya put the books in a bag and handed it to her.

"It must be nice being part of a rich family. You can purchase anything you want without worry," Hikigaya retorted. Yukinoshita sent him a cold glare.

"And I suspect its would be nice holding a narrow-minded view of the world," Yukinoshita quipped back. She snatched the freshly printed receipt from his hands and placed it into her bag.

"The less you care about things you have nothing to do with, the easier life becomes. You worry about your troubles and I'll worry about mine."

Yukinoshita put her purse and the bag over her shoulder. "Starting from today any troubles you cause around here will be mine too. You better not be this insufferable around other customers."

"My parents taught me to always be honest and stay true to myself," Hikigaya answered back, staring her down as if he was challenging her. She had seen that look before, on those girls back in junior high. Despite it bringing back bitter memories, it was better than his stare from earlier in the day. Yukinoshita knew how to deal with direct opposition. She just needed to be merciless.

"So, you do know that you'll stay dependent on your family like a leech until the cut you off any support. I thought you were deluding yourself into thinking you could keep a job like this," Yukinoshita said with a serene smile. "Since you're no good around others, you'll be in charge of both opening and closing tasks every day. With enough effort, under my exceptional guidance, you just might be able to do menial tasks." Hikigaya glared at her but said nothing as she made her way toward the exit. "See," she said as she passed through the front door, "You can't even say 'Goodnight' to a regular customer. Oh, and make sure to print out that sales form." The door closed behind her, leaving a frowning Hikigaya to lock up the store.

* * *

A blast of air greeted Yukinoshita as she entered her apartment. She chided herself for forgetting to close the window before leaving in the morning. Still, she didn't expect to stay out so late. After leaving the bookstore, she stopped at the food court to grab something to eat. Skipping lunch made her famished, and she still had to run a few errands around the mall. It took her extra time to make her way back to her apartment as well; she got lost after making a series of wrong turns to the grocery market and she had to plan for the best way back by train.

After closing the window and putting away the groceries, Yukinoshita began her usual night routine: she took a shower, brushed her teeth, and began working on her summer homework at her desk. Class 2-J had a more rigorous amount of work than any other class, and even though she picked up on information quickly, she still had to go through a pile busy work. She decided to get the remainder of her homework done tonight. She usually paced herself, doing a little bit each day to more easily retain knowledge, finishing all her work a week before school began again, but now she had a summer job. She found it strange that she had wound up in this position, even after she decided not to peruse a job at the bookstore last year. Hiratuska had offered her a position near the end of her first year of high school, but Yukinoshita had to deal with finals and familial matters. She began her early planning to run for the student council election in the first weeks of her second year, so she had almost no time to visit the store, much less work there. She supposed she was lucky to have some time to relax during the summer.

As it got later and later, Yukinoshita began to work slower. After finishing a set of worksheets, she decided to call it a night. She got up, stretched, and went to grab a glass of water, leaving her room. She passed the dinning table, walked into the kitchen, and turned on the sink. Water erupted from the faucet, filling the room with a low din. As she turned off the spout, the sounds bounced off the white walls of the apartment, echoing, ricocheting, and decaying. She could almost see the sound; she felt it ping off the walls and slow to a halt, until the silence overpowered the noise, an awful, all-encompassing silence.

It's strange, Yukinoshita thought, that her apartment shared the same liminality of an empty bookstore.

* * *

...

* * *

 **Well, so much for that promise of having a chapter out in a month. My laptop broke at the end of summer, and while I managed to save the small amount of work I had done for this chapter, I only managed to get a new computer after I returned to college. I was far to busy with school to pick this back up. The whole of fall quarter depleted me of my motivation to write, so when winter break came around, I felt it best to spend my time with family. In middle of winter quarter, I decided that I would get this chapter published on the first days of spring break. And so, here we are.**

 **I apologize for the long wait, and hope you understand. I also would like to thank Predator7, Calvados, Shadow1001, NPwall, Aquaquaqua, jam99chgo, BlackPsych, jminator, and Jay Sage, Ricochetback, HarimaHige, imagintech, Saiki Kusuo, and two anonymous reviewers. Even the reviews that were just Yukino bashing inspired me to persevere. Please support me during the transition to the next chapter as well.**

 **I promise y'all, even if I do take another 6 months to release a chapter, that I will not leave this work abandoned (unless I die or something). Hope 2018 has been treating you all well. Until next time.**

 **P.S. I just wanted to get this uploaded as soon as I could, so forgive any glaring mistakes that I might have made. I promise I'll spruce things up tomorrow.**


End file.
